4 Surprising Emotional Strengths of an ENTP

When you imagine an ENTP, what comes to mind? 

Read most descriptions of the type and you’ll see things like “genius,” “argumentative,” or “little patience for people who can’t keep up.” In fact, many think of the ENTP as the ultimate antihero.

But like all ENxPs, these types are quick and adaptable, and I’m here to argue that, with the right motivation, ENTPs can develop surprisingly powerful emotional strengths. These clever, perceptive types have the potential to dive into the world of emotions with the scientific zeal they bring to any challenge, often to the surprise and delight of their loved ones.

Don’t believe me? I interviewed an actual ENTP, and I’ll share their take on the subject. Decoding the minds of ENTP isn’t simple, so I’ll break it down one step at a time.

Here are four surprising—dare I say amazing?—emotional strengths of ENTPs.

1. They’re Great When You’re Upset

ENTPs are known for their quick grasp of new ideas and their talent for sharp observation. Put these two together and the ENTP becomes the ultimate perceiver. They use their perceptiveness to spot emotional cues—a frown, a change in energy, a clenched fist, a sigh—and it only takes a moment for them to realize something’s up.

This is why ENTPs are the masters of debate. They are laser-sharp at spotting inconsistencies, and can apply this same skill to catching emotional irregularities in others. When they decide to apply this to people they care about, or people they’re interested in,  the results may be surprising.

In the words of an ENTP: “I’m good at noticing inconsistencies in behavioral patterns. This kickstarts a logical process in my brain. I’m quickly trying to determine what caused the change in behavior. I’ll observe the person’s body language, wondering what has gone wrong. If I can’t figure it out, I’ll spend a second deciding if it’s a good time to ask about it. If it’s a good time, I’ll ask. For me, the whole process is like a big flow chart that happens in my brain, really fast.”

This cause-and-effect process is what makes the ENTP so thorough in responding to challenging situations. They can size up their subject in seconds, running a logical process to determine the best way to respond, and with the right timing. Then, if they’re encouraged, they can provide a nearly endless list of possible solutions to the problem, drawing on their quick thinking and generative brainstorming power. They will examine the problem from every angle to help you address whatever upset you.

Best of all, they can bring a logical detachment to the situation, and won’t be so bogged down by your feelings that they can’t show up for you emotionally. They are happy to let you be the center of attention when you’re upset.

2. They Want To Know What You Think

It’s been said that ENTPs don’t value emotions in an argument, and while there may be some truth to this, there’s hope. An ENTP with a healthy ego is perfectly capable of respecting another person’s point of view, especially if they respect the person. In fact, it is in an ENTP’s best interests to learn to integrate emotional logic into their own thinking. Over time, the ENTP will be far more effective in their personal and professional lives once they have learned to use emotions—along with logic—to solve problems.

Here’s what my ENTP had to say about it: “At first, someone would tell me something they were feeling, and I would immediately give them a logical suggestion. The other person would respond with something like ‘that’s not helpful.’ That made me feel like I wasn’t good at being supportive, which made me defend my logical view of the situation. That made things worse. So finally I said to myself, ‘Clearly I am missing something here.’ I decided to tailor my thinking process to include emotions, because I decided the way I was doing things just wasn’t working. I tried to approach the issue from another angle.”

You can see here that the ENTP drew on their natural curiosity and flexible thinking to talk (trick?) themselves into understanding the other person’s point of view, all in service of getting to the right solution.

ENTPs love input, and emotional information is just another form of data they can use. They can draw on their natural curiosity to learn more about the concrete role emotions play in everyone’s lives. At a more advanced level, if you point out when the ENTP’s own logic is actually driven by emotion, they will begin to come around. An evolved ENTP can learn to appreciate emotions—their own and others—just like anyone else.

3. They’re Willing to Fail Until They Get It Right

ENTPs have a natural resilience that can serve them well in emotional situations. Their energy and love of learning makes them great in a debate, and they leverage a nearly inexhaustible well of cognitive power.

If an ENTP combines this persistent energy with a healthy ego, they can push through challenging emotional situations without being paralyzed by the fear of failure. One of the core strengths of an ENTP is fearlessness in the face of challenges. This courage serves them well when they are trying to work through emotional challenges in their relationships.

My ENTP put it like this: “One of the quotes I find most inspiring is ‘have the courage to see when you’re lying to yourself.’ I don’t think it's brave to pretend you’re good at something when you’re not. So if I feel like I’m not good at helping people, I’m going to admit it to myself and do it better. I try to resist the impulse to blame the other person and their thinking. Maybe it’s me.”

This willingness to look inward may not come easily to ENTPs. But, when they get to this point, the transformation can be profound. That dogged persistence, and the courage to keep pushing in the face of failure, is a hallmark of the type.

4. They’re Naturally Validating

ENTPs are always searching for original ideas and ways of being. Most have a fundamentally “live and let live” attitude toward life. This iconoclastic stance helps them appreciate when other people choose to live life on their own terms.

Go to an ENTP with a new idea, and they’ll probably be willing to talk through all the possibilities. It doesn’t take much for an ENTP to see that everyone is different and what works for them may not work for others. It’s one short step from there to validating the feelings, choices and needs of the people in their lives.

My ENTP put it this way: “When I was in college, my roommate said ‘you’re the least judgmental person.’ I hadn’t thought about it, but when she told me things about her life, I would usually say ‘that makes sense.’ I feel like I’m not afraid of unique or different ideas. I find them interesting.”

Validation is a powerful emotional strength. Making someone feel seen and heard without judgment is a huge asset for ENTPs. And they can go a step further to help you make your vision a reality. They won’t tell you that your idea is crazy (usually), and their natural spontaneity might just convince them to jump in with you.

ENTPs encourage you to be yourself. If they care about you, they won’t try to force you to conform to societal expectations. They will stand in your corner, ready to enthusiastically support you in following your dreams—assuming they make sense, of course.

So How Do ENTPs Master Their Emotional Strength?

An ENTP can master emotions just as they master anything else—with focused effort and the right motivation. If you can build a safe and trusting connection with an ENTP, they will bring a nearly inexhaustible energy to supporting you and your goals. In the words of my ENTP interviewee: “Once I know someone and I trust them, I don’t worry as much about feeling incompetent. Then I’m much better about the emotional stuff. I don’t think I have the bandwidth to apply those skills to everyone all the time, but for special people, I’m all in.”

So for the ENTPs out there, don’t be afraid to let people know how sharp and emotionally insightful you can be. You don’t always have to be the antihero, and with a little emotional intelligence, you can be supportive with the best of 'em.